Texas A&M AgriLife Research quarterly agency update • September 2022 |
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Howdy,
Texas A&M AgriLife Research has had a busy summer in addressing our strategic priorities and ensuring that a fully functioning staff can support our research enterprise.
We welcome Rachel Tydlacka, who will serve as administrative assistant to our associate directors, Dr. Henry Fadamiro and Mr. Stephen Cisneros. We also have initiated searches for a new director of the Texas Water Resources Institute, TWRI, and for a director of the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Weslaco. Dr. Allen Berthold continues to serve as interim director for TWRI, and Dr. John Jifon continues as interim director of the center at Weslaco.
At the same time, we have approved the searches for more than 20 additional faculty positions across AgriLife Research. Many of these positions are joint positions with the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service; many include teaching components.
Special congratulations: Fiscal year update
I cannot neglect to acknowledge the excellent work of our AgriLife Research community on a highly successful funding year. Research expenditures are at the highest levels yet, and we had an increase in the total amount of our awards from $126 million in FY2021 to $160 million in FY2022. Congratulations on an outstanding year!
Task force update
Of particular importance, faculty from across Texas A&M AgriLife provided valuable input to multiple task forces that were established in 2021. AgriLife Research has followed up on many of the reports:
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AgriLife Research Strategic Plan. Our agency strategic plan is complete and available for viewing at https://tx.ag/researchstrategicplan. Read more about the new strategic plan below.
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Thomas Ranch. We are moving forward with the acquisition of the ranch and are working with multiple unit leaders and stakeholders to take over the ranch when the estate is settled.
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Graduate Education. AgriLife Research has utilized the task force report to consider opportunities for improving graduate education and graduate success at our off-campus sites.
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Promotion Guidance for AgriLife Research Faculty. We have worked hard to incorporate many of the recommendations into our mentoring of faculty. We continue to develop additional guidance.
As mentioned in my previous newsletter, the AgriLife Research director's office continues to plan visits to all on-campus academic departments and off-campus research centers within the next 12 months. We have completed many of these visits, which have provided value in determining opportunities, solutions and issues for AgriLife Research to address. Please let us know of any special events at your location so that we stay aware of opportunities to align our visits with you and your stakeholders.
Legislative appropriations update
As we continue to visit with our AgriLife Research community, it is evident that we need additional support to enhance our infrastructure and capacity.
Therefore, our primary legislative appropriations request for the 2024-2025 biennium will focus on enhancing our research capability through improved research infrastructure like laboratories, lab equipment, field equipment and human capital. We aim to provide opportunities for graduate students to engage in research where it is taking place and to assist in recruiting and retaining our valuable faculty and staff.
I wish you all a productive start to the fall and hope to engage with many of you in the coming months.
Gig 'em!
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G. Cliff Lamb
Director, Texas A&M AgriLife Research
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Texas A&M AgriLife Research strategic plan |
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The mission of AgriLife Research is to create, learn and share knowledge about agriculture and the life sciences — knowledge that nourishes health, protects natural resources and supports economies.
Our research ensures healthy lives and livelihoods, which are improved through abundant, affordable and high-quality food and agricultural products in Texas and around the world.
AgriLife Research is committed to delivering cutting-edge scientific tools and innovative solutions for Texas producers, industry members, and urban and rural communities to support the nourishment and well-being of all people.
Our efforts lead to the stability and continual enhancement of our state’s agroecosystems and natural resources, ensuring the economic competitiveness and excellence of agriculture and human health.
In line with our mission, our new agency strategic plan includes four priority areas:
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Priority 1: Leading-Edge Research and Innovations. Discover new innovations, technologies and science-based solutions to enhance agricultural and ecological systems and the life sciences.
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Priority 2: Sustainable Production Systems. Provide the translational research necessary to develop and produce high-quality, safe and sustainable food and fiber systems with local, national and global impacts.
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Priority 3: Economic Strength. Enhance the efficiency, profitability and resiliency of agriculture, natural resources and food systems in Texas and around the world.
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Priority 4: Healthy Living. Discover, disseminate and facilitate the adoption of scientific evidence at the intersection of nutrition, human health and agriculture.
Departments and centers developing new strategic plans for research are encouraged to reference the AgriLife Research strategic plan to ensure that priority areas are active across our units.
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Texas A&M AgriLife Research honors outstanding faculty, staff |
This summer, Texas A&M AgriLife Research honors were awarded to seven faculty and staff members from across the state at a ceremony and dinner recognizing winners of the 2021 Texas A&M AgriLife Research Director’s Awards. |
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Grazingland Animal Nutrition Laboratory relocates to Texas A&M campus |
To better utilize technology and cross-discipline expertise in servicing the needs of ranchers across Texas, the Grazingland Animal Nutrition, GAN, Laboratory is relocating from Temple to the main campus of Texas A&M University in Bryan-College Station. |
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‘Diesel nut’ development brings Texas A&M AgriLife, Chevron together
Collaboration will utilize peanuts to potentially develop feedstock for lower-carbon fuel production
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Peanut oil powered the world’s first diesel engine when it was premiered by Rudolf Diesel at the World Exposition in Paris in 1900. Now, a collaboration between Chevron and Texas A&M AgriLife is reviving the use of peanuts as a renewable feedstock for diesel fuel with a lower carbon intensity. |
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Biopharmaceutical company expands clinical trials On Texas A&M-developed Angelman Syndrome treatment
Disorder leads to developmental delay, speech impairment, movement or balance disorders, and seizures
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A rare disease has a new potential treatment being developed in the laboratory of Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, VMBS, associate professor Scott Dindot, Ph.D. The treatment has not only produced encouraging interim data from a clinical trial in the U.S., United Kingdom and Canada, but has become the subject of a $75 million acquisition by Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical, Inc., which will continue to develop the treatment. |
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Study shows flies, roaches not likely to spread COVID-19
AgriLife Research answers public health concerns about virus transmission
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Insects like biting flies and cockroaches are not likely to spread the agent of COVID-19 to humans, according to a recently published article by Texas A&M AgriLife Research scientists. |
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Managing phage therapy to help save lives
Study shows how phages fight multidrug-resistant pathogens
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Scientists with the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences were among those providing the biochemical tools needed to help save a man’s life through a unique emergency intervention in 2016. Now those Center for Phage Technology scientists in the Texas A&M Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Bryan-College Station, have completed a study about that treatment as well as other opportunities for phage therapy. |
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Are your research results ready for commercialization?
The Intellectual Property and Commercialization, IPaC, office is the technology transfer office for Texas A&M AgriLife. Our office helps secure the value of the intellectual property, IP, created by AgriLife researchers. We help researchers and The Texas A&M University System connect intellectual property to companies via licensing agreements — bringing Texas A&M AgriLife’s research results to the benefit of the public.
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Entomological Society of America makes Tomberlin Fellow
Elected for research, education and impact in entomology
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Jeffery Tomberlin, Ph.D., was among nine new Fellows elected by the governing board of the Entomological Society of America, ESA, for 2022. |
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Celebrating Ryland Young’s career, advances in phage applications
New biochemistry lecture series will honor the soon-to-be professor emeritus
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Over his 44-year career at the Texas A&M College of Medicine and College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Ryland Young, Ph.D., has made broad advances in the understanding of bacteria-infecting viruses called bacteriophages, or phages. This work was performed in collaboration with many students and colleagues. |
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Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering faculty recognized
Faculty elected next association president, received awards at international conference
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Texas A&M AgriLife was well represented at the recent American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, ASABE, annual international meeting in Houston. |
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Research funding opportunities and project support
The Texas A&M AgriLife Office of Corporate Engagement and Research Support, CERS, assists research faculty in obtaining federal and private funding for comprehensive multidisciplinary research projects. CERS aims to alleviate administrative burdens associated with larger projects, allowing faculty more focus on research activities. Read more about CERS and sign up for the office’s Weekly Funding Opportunity Newsletter online.
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Please look out for news about these AgriLife Research items during the upcoming quarter: |
- AgriLife Research leadership continues to visit regional centers and on-campus departments; look out for messaging from center leadership and department heads about upcoming visits.
- The AgriLife Research strategic plan is available at https://tx.ag/researchstrategicplan.
- Requests for nominations will be sent by the end of September for the 2022 Texas A&M AgriLife Research Director’s Awards, Faculty Fellows, Senior Faculty Fellows and the William A. Dugas Early Career Award for Research Excellence.
- The Texas A&M Plant Growth and Phenotyping Facility will open Oct. 20.
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Follow Texas A&M AgriLife Research on social media | @txresearch |
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